Earth’s Average Temperature Matches Previous Day’s Record High

Earth’s average temperature remained at an unofficial record high on Wednesday, marking another disheartening milestone in a week filled with climate-change-induced extremes.

According to the University of Maine’s Climate Reanalyzer, a tool that utilizes satellite data and computer simulations to assess global conditions, the average global temperature reached 17.18 degrees Celsius (62.9 degrees Fahrenheit). This matched the record set on Tuesday, following a previous record of 17.01 degrees Celsius (62.6 degrees Fahrenheit) on Monday.

Although these figures are not officially recognized as government records, Sarah Kapnick, the chief scientist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), emphasized their significance, stating, “this is showing us an indication of where we are right now.” NOAA intends to consider these numbers in its official record calculations.

While long-term trends are typically measured over extended periods, such as months, years, or even decades, the recent daily highs serve as a clear indication that climate change is propelling us into uncharted territory.

While some countries experienced colder weather than usual, Quebec and Peru witnessed the surpassing of high-temperature records this week.

In North Grenville, Ontario, the local authorities converted ice hockey rinks into cooling centers as temperatures reached 32 degrees Celsius (90 degrees Fahrenheit) on Wednesday, with humidity making it feel like 38 degrees Celsius (100 degrees Fahrenheit). Jill Sturdy, a spokesperson for the city, expressed her astonishment, stating, “I feel like we live in a tropical country right now. It just kind of hits you. The air is so thick.”

Beijing faced extreme heat as well, reporting nine consecutive days with temperatures exceeding 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit). On Wednesday, as the temperature climbed to 41 degrees Celsius (106 degrees Fahrenheit), all outdoor work was ordered to cease.

Approximately 38 million Americans were under heat alerts on Wednesday, according to Kapnick.

Scientists have been warning for months that 2023 could witness record-breaking heat due to human-caused climate change primarily driven by the burning of fossil fuels. They have also observed the transition from La Nina, a natural cooling of the ocean, to El Nino, the reverse phenomenon characterized by warming oceans.

Stanford University climate scientist Chris Field, not involved in the calculations, stated, “A record like this is another piece of evidence for the now massively supported proposition that global warming is pushing us into a hotter future.”

The exceptionally mild winter in the Antarctic played a significant role in this week’s temperature records, as indicated by data from the Climate Reanalyzer. Parts of the continent and the adjacent ocean were 10-20 degrees Celsius (18-36 degrees Fahrenheit) warmer than the averages recorded from 1979 to 2000.

Raghu Murtugudde, a professor of atmospheric, oceanic, and earth system science, explained, “Temperatures have been unusual over the ocean and especially around the Antarctic this week because strong wind fronts over the Southern Ocean are pushing warm air further south.”

Chari Vijayaraghavan, a polar explorer and educator with extensive experience in the Arctic and Antarctic regions, emphasized the evident impact of global warming on both poles. She highlighted the threat to wildlife and the melting of ice, which contributes to rising sea levels. Vijayaraghavan also expressed concerns about the potential spread of diseases, such as avian flu, in the Antarctic, leading to devastating consequences for penguins and other fauna.

Sean Birkle, a climate scientist at the University of Maine and creator of the Climate Reanalyzer, acknowledged that the daily figures are unofficial but still valuable in providing a snapshot of the ongoing changes in our warming world.

Sarah Kapnick added that although the dataset used for the# Earth’s Average Temperature Matches Previous Day’s Record High

Earth’s average temperature remained at an unofficial record high on Wednesday, marking another significant milestone in a week dominated by extreme weather events driven by climate change.

According to the University of Maine’s Climate Reanalyzer, a tool that utilizes satellite data and computer simulations to measure global conditions, the average global temperature reached 17.18 degrees Celsius (62.9 degrees Fahrenheit). This matched the record set on Tuesday, following a previous record of 17.01 degrees Celsius (62.6 degrees Fahrenheit) on Monday.

Although these figures are not officially recognized as government records, Sarah Kapnick, the chief scientist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), emphasized their importance, stating, “this provides us with an indication of our current situation.” NOAA intends to consider these numbers when calculating its official records.

While long-term trends are typically measured over extended periods, such as months, years, or even decades, the recent daily highs serve as a clear indication that climate change is pushing us into uncharted territory.

While some countries experienced colder-than-usual weather, Quebec and Peru witnessed the breaking of high-temperature records this week.

In North Grenville, Ontario, authorities converted ice hockey rinks into cooling centers as temperatures soared to 32 degrees Celsius (90 degrees Fahrenheit) on Wednesday, with humidity making it feel like 38 degrees Celsius (100 degrees Fahrenheit). Jill Sturdy, a spokesperson for the city, expressed her astonishment, saying, “It feels like we’re living in a tropical country right now. The air is so thick.”

Beijing also faced extreme heat, reporting nine consecutive days with temperatures exceeding 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit). On Wednesday, with the temperature reaching 41 degrees Celsius (106 degrees Fahrenheit), all outdoor work was ordered to cease.

Kapnick stated that approximately 38 million Americans were under heat alerts on Wednesday.

For months, scientists have been warning about the possibility of record-breaking heat in 2023 due to human-caused climate change, primarily driven by the burning of fossil fuels. They have also observed the transition from La Niña, a natural cooling of the ocean, to El Niño, the opposite phenomenon characterized by warming oceans.

Chris Field, a climate scientist from Stanford University who was not involved in the calculations, remarked, “A record like this provides further evidence supporting the widely accepted proposition that global warming is leading us into a hotter future.”

The exceptionally mild winter in the Antarctic played a significant role in this week’s temperature records, as indicated by data from the Climate Reanalyzer. Parts of the continent and the surrounding ocean were 10-20 degrees Celsius (18-36 degrees Fahrenheit) warmer than the average temperatures recorded from 1979 to 2000.

Raghu Murtugudde, a professor of atmospheric, oceanic, and earth system science, explained, “Unusual temperatures over the ocean, particularly around the Antarctic, are a result of strong wind fronts over the Southern Ocean pushing warm air farther south.”

Chari Vijayaraghavan, a polar explorer and educator with extensive experience in the Arctic and Antarctic regions, highlighted the evident impact of global warming on both poles. She emphasized the threat to wildlife and the melting of ice, which contributes to rising sea levels. Vijayaraghavan also expressed concerns about the potential spread of diseases, such as avian flu, in the Antarctic, leading to devastating consequences for penguins and other fauna.

Sean Birkle, a climate scientist at the University of Maine and creator of the Climate Reanalyzer, acknowledged that the daily figures are unofficial but still provide a valuable snapshot of the ongoing changes in our warming world.

Sarah Kapnick added that although the dataset used for

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More about climate change impacts

• University of Maine’s Climate Reanalyzer
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
• Stanford University – Department of Earth System Science
• Climate Change and Global Warming – NASA
• United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)